Message from the President

 

Greetings one and all. I hope you have had success in tucking your boats away and battening down the hatches in preparation for the winter season.

 

Your executive has continued to meet through the fall. We also have welcomed the inclusion of Claudette Pintwalla as the South Channel Association rep for the Georgian Bay Association.

 

One of the constant pressures faced by our association is finding a way to increase membership. In this newsletter you will find a copy of handout you will get with your 2002 membership. We are looking at ways of getting our message out-- one of them being that this handout can be delivered to friends and neighbours on the channel who have not yet "seen the light" and joined the association, or perhaps have let their membership slide.

 

There are activities afoot that we currently involved in, which will affect all cottagers, up and down the channel, whether they are members or not. So, it is important to get them on board. There is no reason why South Channel Association members should do all the work and non-members reap the benefits.

 

For example, we are currently looking at options with regards to the amalgamation of townships. An amalgamation with Georgian Bay township no longer seems viable. It would seem the best solution would be to re-look at a governance model that addresses the special needs of our area. Chapter 23 of the Province of Ontario's Planning Document allows us to do that. To that end, a motion was passed at the Deerhorn conference on November 3, attended by myself:

 

"That the Township of the Archipelago be requested to proceed ASAP to pursue permanent alternate governance in discussion with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure implementation of the East Georgian Bay Littoral Biosphere Reserve consistent with the objectives of the Great Lakes Heritage Coast."

 

Tracy Biggar